19th Century Palatial Marble Sculpture 'Cupid's Kiss' after Canova Conforming Marble Pedestal

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A Connoisseur Grand Palatial Sculpture of Eros & Pyche on a grand conforming pedestal for a power statement!
One of … Read more A Connoisseur Grand Palatial Sculpture of Eros & Pyche on a grand conforming pedestal for a power statement!
One of the most classically important sculptures in history-'Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss' a beautifully romantic love story by Antonio Canova (1757-1822) as displayed in the Louvre Museum, the Hermitage and Villa Carlotta(shown in the last photo here)-taken on our last visit.
This is an exquisite 19th century Italian statuary marble sculpture after Antonio Canova's-displayed on a conforming lovely serpentine marble stone pedestal with demilune top that swivels for viewing. Serpentine stone has been used for many centuries-there are stories that it attracts love, money, and psychic powers!
The beautiful Greek dramatic Myth of Cupid & Psyche goes like this:
This winged young man who has just landed on a rock where a girl lies unconscious, is the god Eros, Cupid in Latin and can be recognized by his wings and his quiver filled with arrows. The girl’s name is Psyche. Cupid’s mother Venus, goddess of Beauty, demanded that Psyche bring back a flask from the Underworld, strictly forbidding her to open it.

But Psyche’s curiosity got the better of her; and no sooner had she had breathed in the terrible fumes than she fell into a deep, deathlike sleep. Seeing her lying motionless, Cupid rushed to her and touched her gently with the tip of his arrow, to make sure she was not dead. This is the moment caught by the sculptor: Cupid lifts his beloved Psyche in a tender embrace, his face close to hers. Psyche lets herself sink slowly backwards, languorously taking her lover’s head between her hands.

Canova took his inspiration from a legend recounted by Latin author Apuleius in the Metamorphoses At the close of the tale the gods decide in council to grant Cupid Psyche’s hand in marriage, according her immortality and making her the goddess of the Soul.

Originals by Canova fetch enormous prices when they come to market.
Antonio Canova (1 November 1757 - 13 October 1822) was an Italian sculptor from the Republic of Venice who became famous for his marble sculptures that delicately rendered the nude figure. He artistic works were much sought after in his time. The epitome of the neoclassical style, his work marked a return to classical refinement after the theatrical excesses of Baroque sculpture. See less